The DJI Matrice 5T is the next step on from the Matrice 4 series, so for teams flying a Matrice 4T today, the obvious question is what has changed. It brings longer laser range, Remote ID detection, broader onboard AI, stronger accessories and a much bigger battery and charging setup.
This comparison uses the figures DJI has presented for both aircraft, so you can see where the differences sit and decide which suits your team.
DJI Matrice 5T vs DJI Matrice 4T At A Glance
| Feature | DJI Matrice 5T | DJI Matrice 4T |
|---|---|---|
| Laser rangefinder (normal) | 3,000m | 1,800m |
| Laser rangefinder (oblique) | 1,200m | 600m |
| ADS-B receiver | Yes | Yes |
| Remote ID receiver | Yes | No |
| AI recognition (visible) | People and clothing colours, vehicle and vessel types, animals, smoke and fire | People, vehicles and vessels |
| AI recognition (thermal) | People, vehicles and vessels | People, vehicles, vessels and moving heat sources |
| Speaker | AS2: 35W, up to 120dB, 400m range | AS1: 15W, up to 114dB, 300m range |
| Spotlight | AL2: 60W, tilt -90° to +90° | AL1: 32W, tilt -90° to +35° |
| Battery energy | 215.2Wh | 99.5Wh |
| Charging hub | 515W, actively cooled | 100W, no active cooling |
| Max charging rate | 2.3C | 1C |
Laser Range And Instant Positioning
The laser rangefinder on the Matrice 5T reaches 3,000m at normal incidence and 1,200m at an oblique angle, against 1,800m and 600m on the Matrice 4T. Instant positioning lets a pilot spot a target at long range, mark it and share it straight away. On a wildfire, crews can draw lines and polygons to measure the length and area of the fire front.
Pair that with 176x hybrid zoom and teams can ID people and number plates from 400m without being seen and heard, which matters for covert operations.
Airspace Awareness
Both aircraft have an ADS-B receiver for nearby crewed aircraft. The Matrice 5T adds a Remote ID receiver, which detects nearby drones as well. Real-time alerts from both help keep operations orderly in busy airspace.
Onboard AI Detection
The Matrice 5T has more than 20 built-in object types for onboard detection, analysing visible and thermal imagery in parallel. In visible light, it recognises people and the colours of their clothing, vehicle and vessel types, animals, and smoke and fire. The Matrice 4T recognises people, vehicles and vessels.
Smoke and fire detection is an advancement for fire and rescue teams. In thermal imagery, both aircraft recognise people, vehicles and vessels, and the Matrice 4T also detects moving heat sources. Both support third-party algorithms.
Speaker And Spotlight
The AS2 Speaker has 35W of rated power against 15W on the AS1, reaches up to 120dB at 1m rather than 114dB, and broadcasts to 400m rather than 300m. It also adds strobe lights in red, blue, green, white and yellow, which the AS1 does not have. Broadcast modes are the same on both.
The AL2 Spotlight runs at 60W, against 32W on the AL1. In spot mode it gives 10 lux at 100m, compared with 4.3 lux from the AL1. Its gimbal tilts from -90° to +90° rather than +35°, so it can light the underside of a structure from directly below.
Battery And Charging
This is one of the biggest changes. The Matrice 5T’s battery holds 215.2Wh, more than double the Matrice 4T’s 99.5Wh, and it has a two-stage latch for safer operation. Its 515W hub is actively cooled and charges at up to 2.3C, compared with a 100W hub and 1C on the Matrice 4T.
The hub charges three batteries in sequence, and standby mode holds them at 95% rather than 90%. In practice, that means 59 min flights and continuous 3-battery ops, so no gaps in overwatch.
What Else The Matrice 5T Brings
Several more upgrades sit on the Matrice 5T itself:
- 1K thermal at 1280×1024, with Super Resolution up to 2560×2048
- Full-colour night vision down to 0.01 lux from a 1/0.98-inch wide camera, so night jobs aren’t thermal-only
- A 360-degree LiDAR with wire detection at 32m, plus mmWave radar and omnidirectional colour vision
- IP55 weather protection, because bad weather is when people go missing
- Up to 59 minutes of flight and up to 40km of transmission with relay
- In-flight modelling that turns 200 photos into a map in around 8 minutes
- Takeoff and landing on stationary or moving vessels
- Airborne around 10 seconds after power-on
Is The DJI Matrice 5T Worth The Upgrade?
For teams already flying the Matrice 4T, the case for upgrading is strongest when the job demands more:
- Search and rescue and police teams working at night or in poor weather
- Fire and rescue teams who want smoke and fire detection on board
- Teams that need to mark and share positions at longer range
- Crews on long shifts who need continuous three-battery operation
- Inspection crews flying near overhead lines and structures
Talk To Coptrz About Your Next Thermal Drone
Our enterprise specialists can compare both aircraft against the work your team does, arrange training through our RPC-L1 Part A course and support you once you are flying.
Enquire about the DJI Matrice 5T or call our team on 0330 111 7177.
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